ICC inducts Abdul Qadir in hall of fame

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday added former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir to the Hall of Fame along with West Indies player Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Charlotte Edwards from England.

In a statement, the ICC said Qadir who passed away in 2019 at the age of 63, had a massive influence not just in Pakistan, but the "wider world that is still felt strongly today". He is inductee number 109 in the Hall of Fame.

“Often labelled the saviour of leg-spin bowling during the 1970s and 80s, Qadir was renowned for outfoxing some of the greatest batters in the game with his dynamic action and majestic variation,” the ICC said. “His 236 wickets across his 13-year career places him third in the list of Pakistan’s all-time prolific spinners.”

In limited-overs cricket, he was a pioneer in wrist-spin techniques which can still be felt today, and he proved to be a pivotal figure in Pakistan’s 1983 and 1987 World Cup campaigns, the ICC said.

Following his retirement, Qadir turned to coaching, mentoring fellow countrymen Mushtaq Ahmed, Danish Kaneria and Shahid Afridi, as well as Australia's Shane Warne and South Africa's Imran Tahir, it said.

Former West Indies’ batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul became inductee number 107. England’s multi-time World Cup-winning captain Charlotte Edwards became Hall of Famer number 108.

Following a voting process that included existing Hall of Famers, media representatives and senior executives from FICA and the ICC, the three players were inducted into the prestigious list.

The ICC Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players to grace the game throughout its rich history, and these three individuals have all left a lasting legacy through their significant contributions to the sport, it said.

Following recent tradition, all three of the new inductees will be honoured in a special presentation ceremony which will take place prior to the start of play at the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday 9 November.

On the occasion, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, “the ICC Hall of Fame continues to celebrate the iconic individuals that have shaped the history of cricket.”

“Only the very best are honoured in this way and it is wonderful to commemorate the lasting contributions of Shivnarine, Charlotte and Abdul,” he said.

“These three ambassadors of our great game enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage and are richly deserving of their status as ICC Hall of Famers.”

Usman Qadir, son of Abdul and current Pakistan international, said: “On behalf of the family, I want to say thank you very much to the ICC for nominating my father for induction into the Hall of Fame. It is a very big honour for the family to hear of this news, we see it as a huge achievement, and one that my father would be very proud of if he was still with us today.”